In order to evaluate the current status of prehospital care of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in this city, the clinical manifestations and the emergency cardiac care in prehospital phase in 210 patients were reviewed in the period from 1987 to 1988. Before admission to CCU, 45.7% of the patients had complications of severe cardiac arrhythmias or hemodynamic disturbances and 14.8% had cardiac arrests. The mortality during the first 4 weeks was 25.2%. Among 53 patients who died, 50.9% occurred before admission and 37.7% within 1 hour. One hundred and ten patients (52.4%) had prehospital care and, 4 of them provided by the City Emergency Center and others by the local clinics near by. The median time from the cardiac attack to the first medical care, hospital arrival and CCU admission was 2, 3.6 and 6.3 hours respectively. The management on the scene was not efficient and effective in many patients. The rate of successful resuscitation in patients who had cardiac arrest out of hospital was only 7.7%. We are impressed that the mortality of patients with AMI is mainly in the early stage after appearance of symptoms. The initiation of emergency cardiac care is very necessary. The current status of prehospital cardiac care needs to be improved immediately, some suggestions are made for this purpose.